Konoha Year 58, Ninja Academy
"The winner, Neji."
The teacher's whistle declared the match over. Ryo clutched his chest and fell to the ground, his eyes filled with anger and disbelief as he stared at Neji.
As a member of the Hyuga main family and two years older than Neji, Ryo had thought this would be a simple training match. Before the match, he had even displayed the arrogance of the main family, claiming he would give Neji some proper guidance and telling him to watch and learn. But to his shock, he lost to this branch family kid in front of everyone!
He, Ryo, was the one who needed guidance?!
"Sorry, Ryo."
Neji extended a hand to help Ryo, but it was immediately slapped away.
"Save it! You're just a mere branch family member… Where did you learn that technique you just used to defeat me?!
Why has no one in the main family ever taught it?"
Ryo had never seen such a technique before. It resembled the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist but was different. Instead of being soft on the outside and strong on the inside, it released chakra from the acupoints to form lion-like fangs—hard, fierce, and overwhelming. When their fists collided, Ryo felt like his hands would break.
He believed this was the only reason Neji could win.
Seeing Ryo angry and humiliated, showing none of the demeanour of a main family older brother, Neji dropped his friendly facade. Since his father's forced suicide, he harboured no goodwill towards any main family member.
He said calmly, "That was Gentle Fist: Lion Fangs, a technique my brother Neiki taught me."
"Neiki? That Neiki, one of Konoha's Twin Prodigies, is your brother?" Ryo frowned.
The Twin Prodigies of Konoha referred to the two current geniuses of the village: Neiki from the Hyuga clan and Uchiha Itachi from the Uchiha clan.
Neiki and Itachi were born in the same year, graduated from the Ninja Academy in the same year, and even passed the Chunin Exams in the same year.
They were seen as the pride of their respective clans, representing the competition between the Hyuga and Uchiha clans' younger generations in Konoha.
They were each other's only rivals when they entered the Ninja Academy. While others were still struggling with Clone Techniques and worrying about graduation, these two had already mastered advanced ninjutsu and graduated early, leaving their peers far behind.
Because of their exceptional talent and unique backgrounds, every match between them attracted significant attention and carried extra meaning.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, coined the term "Twin Prodigies of Konoha" after witnessing their brilliant performances in the Chunin Exams. Since then, the name had spread throughout Konoha.
"Yes." Neji lifted his head slightly, a hint of pride showing when he talked about Neiki.
Neiki's rise might not be something the Hyuga main family was proud of, but it was certainly the pride of the Hyuga branch family. Neji's dream was to become an excellent ninja like his brother Neiki.
In his view, the more outstanding they were, the more it proved the failure of the Hyuga clan's Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird system, and the more it showed that the main family—having lost its sense of crisis—was the real caged bird, unwilling to improve.
"So Neiki is actually from the Hyuga branch family…" The surrounding Ninja Academy teachers whispered in surprise.
Neiki, one of Konoha's Twin Prodigies, was well-known in the village. Due to his outstanding skills and excellent reputation, many assumed Neiki was from the Hyuga main family, believing he had received the clan's resources and special attention as a new-generation leader.
Ryo's face turned ugly. Unlike outsiders, he knew Neiki's branch family background well. Therefore, he had never felt proud of Neiki's achievements. Like all main family members, he felt… deeply humiliated!
The glory of the Twin Prodigies of Konoha and the position of new-generation leader of the Hyuga clan… these honours belonged to these lowly branch family members?
Even toward the one who had first popularised the term "Twin Prodigies of Konoha" — the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen — the Hyuga main family members harboured malicious suspicions.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo, the two old men in charge, had always been proponents of a "decentralisation" policy, fearing that the interests of Konoha's large clans might affect the village's operations. From relocating the Uchiha clan to the village's outskirts, to promoting more civilian ninjas into key positions, to limiting clan members' opportunities to apprentice under the legendary Sannin and other important figures, Konoha's leadership had never wavered in its strategy to limit the clans' influence.
Similarly, the Hyuga main family saw Neiki's rise as another attempt by Konoha's ambitious leaders to weaken the Hyuga clan.
Even the Hyuga clan head, Hiashi, had expressed dissatisfaction with Sarutobi Hiruzen during internal clan meetings, feeling that naming Neiki as one of the "Twin Prodigies" was meddling in the Hyuga clan's internal affairs, deliberately sowing discord between the main and branch families.
"So, this technique was created by Neiki?"
Seeing Neji nod, Ryo's ugly expression gradually calmed, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Neji was puzzled.
The two made the Seal of Reconciliation.
"Next up is Lee vs. Tenten!"
…
After school, Neji was surrounded by a group of people on his way home and then taken to a secluded forest path.
"Ryo, what do you want?" Neji frowned at Ryo, whose five branch family attendants had already quietly blocked all his escape routes.
"What do I want? At the Ninja Academy, I lost because of your sudden attack. This time, I want to have a serious match with you." Ryo explained calmly.
"I see." Neji glanced at the five others nearby, clenching his fists.
These lackeys…
"You don't need them to make a move." Ryo smiled and waved them back. "Stand back a bit."
They left enough space for the two to fight.
"Come on." Ryo beckoned with his finger.
Neji was stunned and suddenly felt a bit of goodwill towards Ryo.
Although he had brought people, he didn't use them to bully him.
If it was just because he was unwilling to accept defeat, that was nothing. Neji didn't think he would lose again.
"Gentle Fist: Lion Fangs!"
Chakra gathered into two ghostly blue fangs as Neji assumed his stance. Then, like a hunting lion, he charged at Ryo!
Faced with the technique that had defeated him earlier, Ryo not only didn't show fear but even smirked. He raised his hand high and then brought it down sharply.
The next second—
"Ah!"
Neji suddenly screamed and fell to the ground.
A blue pattern glowed on his forehead. Even the headband couldn't cover it. It was the Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird.
The pattern spread from his forehead to his cheeks, eyes, and finally to his entire brain. Neji's vision went dark, and his face twisted in agony. It felt like a steel knife was slicing through the flesh on his face inch by inch. The pain was unbearable, the itch excruciating, making him want to gouge out his own eyes!
The surrounding branch family members watched indifferently.
Ryo stepped on Neji's head, his smile as frivolous as if he were stepping on a rat.
"The Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird is a curse mark passed down for thousands of years in the Hyuga clan. Not only can it automatically destroy the brain and eyes of the one bearing it upon their death, but it can also be activated with a secret command for punishment."
"Neji, listen up."
"I, a Hyuga of the main family, am different from you, a Hyuga of the branch family."
"Don't think you can act arrogantly in front of me just because you have a brother who's one of the Twin Prodigies."
"For a ninja, the most important thing… is where you were born!!"
"As long as I have the secret command to control your seal, even your brother Neiki would have to kneel before me!!"
PS : Author's Note
Character descriptions are provided to help you follow the story smoothly as new chapters unfold.
Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird – Curse mark placed on branch family members; can destroy their Byakugan on death and be activated to inflict intense pain.
Gentle Fist (Jūken) – The Hyuga clan's taijutsu style, attacking the chakra network and organs.
Byakugan – Hyuga kekkei genkai, granting nearly 360° vision, telescopic sight, and the ability to see chakra pathways.
Hyuga Ryo – Member of the Hyuga main family.
Hyuga Hizashi – Neji's father, branch family; forced into suicide due to clan politics.
Hyuga Hiashi – Clan head of the Hyuga main family; twin brother of Hizashi.
Gentle Fist: Lion Fangs – Original technique derived from Gentle Fist that projects chakra as lion-like fangs.